22AF leaders visit 340th FTG

Maj. Gen. Craig La Fave, 22nd Air Force commander, flies backseat with Maj. Phillip Johnston, 39th Flying Training Squadron, during the general’s visit to the 340th Flying Training Group at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. The general was accompanied on the Feb. 20 visit by 22AF Command Chief, Chief Master Sgt. Imelda Johnson. Their visit included a working breakfast with group leaders, a town hall session with 340th, 39th and 433rd Training Squadron members, the T-38 training flight for the general, and a visit to and tour of the 433rd. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Benjamin Price)

22nd Air Force Command Chief, Chief Master Sgt. Imelda Johnson chats with 340th Flying Training Group First Sergeant Senior Master Sgt. Samuel Caballero and other group members during an enlisted luncheon that followed the Feb. 20 town hall session. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Brianne Blackstock)

22nd Air Force Command Chief, Chief Master Sgt. Imelda Johnson chats with members of the 340th Flying Training Group during an enlisted luncheon that followed the Feb. 20 town hall session. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Brianne Blackstock)

During his visit to Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, 22nd Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Craig La Fave (left) presented the Legion of Merit to Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Air Education and Training Command Maj. Gen. James R. Barkley. The Legion of Merit is conferred on officers and enlisted men of the armed forces of the United States and on nationals of other countries who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services. (U.S. Air Force photo by Col. James M. Payne)

The guests started their visit with an informal discussion with group leaders, during which members presented the unit mission briefing, as well as an undergrad flying training overview that included a look at methods to meet anticipated future requirements.

During his visit with the 39th, the general accepted an offer to fly in the back seat during a T-38 training mission.

The chief spent her afternoon with the 433rd, where she discussed manning, recruiting and other issues with squadron leadership. During the visit, 433rd MTI Tech. Sergeant Crystal Charriere escorted the chief and squadron leaders on military training squadron tour. Charriere was recently named the 22AF 2017 Outstanding Airmen of the Year, noncommissioned officer category.

The general, who assumed command of 22nd AF in November, has commanded at the squadron and wing levels, served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and completed combat deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a command pilot with over 13,000 flying hours, including more than 5,000 military flying hours and 320 combat flying hours in numerous overseas contingency operations. In his civilian job, he is an airline captain with a major U.S. carrier.

The chief, a military member for nearly 30 years, started her career in the fuels field, served as a military training instructor, and later transitioned into the military justice field, serving as the Reserve command paralegal career field manager and the command Chief of enlisted force development prior to accepting her first command chief position at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado.